In this blog post, we will consider how far we should allow the development of gene therapy and enhancement technologies to go, weighing the medical benefits against the ethical controversies.
A long time ago, in 2009, a female participant on a KBS TV show called “The Talk of the Town” caused a stir in South Korea. When the host asked the female guests about their ideal type of man, one of them said that men shorter than 180 cm were “losers.” This remark became a major issue in society at the time and continues to be criticized and discussed. People have consciously or unconsciously divided others into superior and inferior groups based on physical characteristics and have tried to believe that they are superior. The human desire to reinforce one’s inferior and weak characteristics has been strong, and science and technology have been developed for this purpose. In modern society, rapidly advancing science and technology has expanded into the realm of genetics, which was once considered the domain of God, and in 1996, scientists successfully cloned a sheep named Dolly through somatic cell nuclear transfer.
This ever-advancing biotechnology is also used in genetic therapy through genetic engineering and can provide benefits in various ways. Biotechnology through genetic sequencing can benefit all members of society.
First, let’s look at the medical aspect. Biotechnology can help many people who have been unable to live normal lives due to genetic problems. For example, in the case of people with hearing impairments, genetic sequencing can be manipulated to treat hearing loss. In addition, biotechnology can prevent hearing impairment genes from being passed on to future generations, thereby eradicating the suffering caused by this condition.
In addition to manipulating gene sequences, biotechnology provides a method for predicting diseases caused mainly by genetic abnormalities by analyzing the gene sequences of individuals. Thanks to the Human Genome Project, it has become possible to analyze the genetic information of individuals quickly and at low cost, enabling the development of personalized targeted cancer treatments for diseases caused by genetic abnormalities such as cancer. This offers a higher probability of cure than conventional treatments, which rely on experience.
In addition, there are methods of introducing genes into the human body through carriers or extracting cells, introducing genes, and then reintroducing them. These methods have made it possible to treat incurable diseases and will continue to play an important role in overcoming various challenges in the future. In this sense, biotechnology can be seen as beneficial to many members of society.
Some people worry that biotechnology may cause side effects and be inaccessible due to high costs. However, as technology advances, side effects can be resolved, and prices will gradually fall as support becomes available through national health insurance systems.
Let’s look at it from a social perspective. Biotechnology can increase social productivity. Genetically modified foods (GM foods) can increase agricultural production. This is achieved by extracting genetic components from certain plants and inserting them into other crops to increase productivity. When comparing genetically modified foods with pure species, there is a significant difference in production. Pure species are often vulnerable to adverse conditions and cannot be harvested, but genetically modified foods are resistant to pests and diseases, resulting in higher production.
Some argue that genetically modified foods are mostly used as animal feed and do not greatly benefit humans. However, if the breeding of food animals can be promoted, the absolute amount of food will increase, which will help solve the problem of world hunger. In addition, the benefits of this technology can be fully realized by strengthening safety verification of genetically modified foods.
Third is the personal aspect. Biotechnology can reduce the factors that cause unhappiness in individuals. For example, people who are short or have physical defects can regain their self-confidence by increasing their height and eliminating defects through genetic enhancement.
This raises ethical issues. Society could become uniform, filled with only tall and handsome people, and athletes enhanced through genetic modification could appear, undermining the essence of sports. However, even in today’s society, there are issues of discrimination based on height and appearance, and genetic enhancement does not determine all athletic abilities. Even now, when genetic enhancement technology is not used, there is endless competition for “perfection.” It is necessary to consider whether it is right to prohibit genetic enhancement even if it can solve individual unhappiness.
In the 21st century, science and technology are advancing rapidly, and innovative treatments are being developed in the field of genetics. Biotechnology will continue to bring great benefits to all members of society. Although advances in biotechnology bring us many benefits, there are still many unresolved issues in terms of bioethics, such as the use of embryos. However, in addition to issues directly related to bioethics, biotechnology will bring many medical, social, and personal benefits.
